Stilllearning
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Posts posted by Stilllearning
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11 minutes ago, blackrose said:
Wouldn't cutting the lozenge depend of knowing which way the steel was going to expand? I'm sure some of the banging I heard were screws snapping. I think it's better not to use screws at all and just just a good flexible PU construction adhesive between wood and steel. CT-1, Stixall, Marineflex, Sikaflex, etc.
He did point out that it was expensive, because you have to offer up each batten, mark through the bolt holes that are in the frames then rout out a losenge shape with the centre at the bolt hole...
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A boat builder we spoke with about a new boat said there were techniques that can mitigate this effect. The timber battening that is fixed to the steel framing expands at a different rate, thus creating the noise, as the timber is usually fixed tight to the framing. If the timber is fitted using lozenge shaped holes, the steel will tend to slide rather than jump, thus making less noise.
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There's Tyttenhanger too.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyttenhanger_House
Oh, and can we still discuss the wonderful fizzy pop Pschitt?
Or this really rather good Malbec from Cahors?
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The difference, it seems to me, is that if I'm stuck behind a boat like that I pull over and moor up. A fuel boat has a living to make.
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33 minutes ago, cuthound said:
Whilst the motorways are much better maintained than the A roads, they are deteriorating.
For the last 10 years I have driven the M42, M40 & M25 at least once a month. Up until 5 years ago potholes were very rare and filled in soon (days) after they appeared.
Now there are frequent long potholes developing between the lanes which are a couple of inches deep as well as smaller ones, perhaps an inch deep in the lanes themselves.
I do find it difficult to believe that the country has gone that far downhill since we lived there, but hey-ho, we are committed to the visit.
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None of the above make me feel better about driving from around Chard up to Liverpool and back. We had planned to avoid the motorways, purely for reasons based around tourism, but maybe we will be on the m5 and 6. Oh good.
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1 minute ago, magnetman said:
Living in a small country town sounds like hell to me. Give me inner city or the woods thanks !
Englandland is the best thing since bread never mind the sliced stuff.
You are aware that "englandland" isn't a real place, aren't you?
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23 hours ago, pete.i said:
They are brilliant pieces of kit. The only idiots are the ones behind, who seem to think a pram hood makes you slow, and can't be bothered to try to pass and then come on a tin pot forum to complain. How stupid is that?
In deference to the forum rules I won't write what I just said out loud.
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30 minutes ago, magnetman said:
I haven't driven in De La France for a few yars but when the kids were little (they are half French) I did take the old Saab 9000 Aero across De La France from Calais to Dijon a number of times to visit their relatives.
The surface over there is absolutely wicked on the toll motorways. Something else. Compared to Englandland it was like flying rather than driving. Coming back off the chunnel trains and driving on UK roads was such a disappointment!
Quite costly on the tolls but hells teeth they know about good quality road surfaces.
Les Routes Nationales are not as good.
Englandland is the best country in the world bar none so I would never consider living in De La France.
"England land is the best country in the world"....bloody hell sunshine, get the blinkers and rose tinted specs off, and open your eyes and mind!
Just imagine living in a small country town, population 1750, with a station, supermarket, 24/7 petrol station, 4 GPs, cottage hospital, dentist, 2 bakeries, butcher/deli, cinema, chemist, pottery, porcelaine factory, post office, bank, 6 restaurants.....
Oh, and De La France isn't wonderful French either.
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14 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:
The trouble is that so much has been wrecked in the past 10 years, how do you draw up the list of priorities in trying to fix them? I too would like to see the support needed for the canals, but then when someone asks me,"But what about the terrible state of all of our roads?" I'd have to put fixing them above the canals simply because they've gone beyond being badly maintained to the level of being downright dangerous. The culture war that is being created over Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN's) with their 20mph speed limits is farcical, who wants to travel faster than that on roads pitted with massive potholes that no-one is fixing?
On the subject of UK roads, I will hold my comments until we are in the country next month. Canals are a priority too, of course.
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11 minutes ago, Polly Graff said:
Hi - many thanks for your response - much appreciated. I think I can rule out 1 - 4 because there was no evidence of wear/damage to the bores when the engineer checked them and 5 - 6 because the valves, guides and stem seals are all new and 8 because I'm using Morris Marine 10W - 40 which I understand is recommended for these older engine. I don't do a massive number of hours but oil has been changed five times in the two years I've had the boat. Also 10 - air filter had to come off with the heat exchanger in order to the head off and it was dry. So that leaves 7 and 9. Re 7, do you mean that a leaking lift pump diaphragm or injection pump seals could lead to the oil being contaminated with fuel? Is there any way of checking that and would it be evident in the oil - say - on the dipstick? Re 9 - I don't really know what side chest breathers are. Are they something to do with the tappet side covers - are they checkable/clearable? Before the head was done, the smoke was constant regardless of revs, time running, etc. Started the engine today for the first since the head was done but only ran it at idle for fifteen mins and turned off as soon as I saw the oil seeping from the rocker box. Blue smoke throughout. Only other thing of note was that the engine fired up unexpectedly while I was bleeding the injector pipes. It used to require 25 secs glow plugs - but not today.
Have the injectors been serviced since you bought the boat?
Blue smoke does suggest burning oil rather than unburnt fuel, but it may be worth thinking about.
BMC rocker cover gaskets can be a total pain to get to seal, BTW.
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I'd be tempted to go for the easy cheap tests first, stuffing box overtight, plummer block bearing, then look at uncoupling shaft from box, push it back and see if it's worn.
Cheap and easy first.
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We did our first ever cruise up the Avon from Tewkesbury, then the Srratford, then down the Worcester and Birmingham to Worcester then back to Tewkesbury, in October, many years ago. We learned very fast what not to do and had a fabulous week.Yes the Avon can be 'exciting' and the tunnels above Tardebigge were scary but fun too.
Go for it.
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9 minutes ago, moiuk said:
Hi,
My Perkins 4108 engine has been acting strangely after it has been running for a while. The power seems to drop off. On the Thames at the moment so getting some good long runs, but after running for a while the power will drop so my revs drop and speed decreases.
any ideas or suggestions of what could be causing it?
thanks.
Check the oil levels in engine and gearbox, plus coolant levels, and make sure the prop is unencumbered by weed etc.
Others will know more, and want more details, such as boat type/size, etc.
Good luck.
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4 minutes ago, LadyG said:
Yes,
Yes
Yes.
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Getting the tank cleaned out shouldn't be too difficult or expensive. (Fingers crossed).
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9 minutes ago, MtB said:
From stilllearning's link
This Rover was much more tempting.
https://www.lesanciennes.com/annonce/rover-100-1962-a504700?ftype=vo&q=Rover
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9 minutes ago, Garethh said:
My apologies about the other day, I was just getting overwhelmed at the amount of replys and didn't react well, I'm sorry if I offended you, I appreciate u replying to this post, thank you.
The previous owner has looked after the engine as far as I no, I'm still in contact with him, he was worried the old fuel tank would rust and drag bits thru the engine.
So it's the tank disconnected from the engine.
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1 minute ago, BilgePump said:
There were various triple axle Land Rovers and Range Rovers made, for things like airport fire trucks
Found the ad
https://www.lesanciennes.com/annonces/recherche?ftype=vo&q=Rover&page=7
The site has some amazing cars on it. This rover section has some beautiful P4 and P5 cars.
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16 hours ago, MtB said:
A car with three axles!!
ISTR there was Lady Penelope's Rolls Royce, and an F1 back in the 70s with three axles, and that was about it.
Any others?
I was looking on a second hand 'classic' car site a couple of weeks ago and saw a triple axle early model range rover. The lengthening had involved adding in the rear axle plus all the bodywork above, doors, seats etc.
I'll look to see if the ad is still there.
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3 minutes ago, LadyG said:
I knew that, but held back on my comments, newbies may need to be educated, I remember my first use of a forum, this forum, and it took a few posts to get the hang of things.
I remember the suggestions that you change your original user name.
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32 minutes ago, Lee willis said:
So I need to take the heads off I'm guessing first.
No, the side plates are entirely separate and accessible. Listers are lovely and simple.
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There are a pair of plates below the heads, the injection pumps are behind them, it is fairly common fault for a pipe to work loose. Take off the plates and have a look, push the pipes onto their mounts, and if you can push them, that may well be the problem.
You will also need to drain the engine oil and replace with new. A raising oil level is diagnostic of the fuel leaking inside the engine.
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12 hours ago, Richard Carter said:
We spent a few years towing a Small Woolwich butty with a 35ft Springer - with a 3cyl. Vetus Mitsubishi engine (just under 1000cc, from memory). Echo what has been said above about towing dollies and hardware for breasting up, I'd say they are essential. And yes, if you are a bit (or a lot) underpowered you need to go steady and not be too ambitious, be ready to give in sooner in strong winds, etc.
In the end the biggest problem was for me not the engine size and power, but the relative weight of the two boats, the tail really does wag the dog with a lightweight motor - I was glad I'd had experience working a camping pair, often with inexperienced hirers, sometimes with nobody steering the butty, that ups your game with the motor, it taught me a lot.
BTW, the technique with cross straps was developed specifically for the case of an empty butty. I have no idea why the straps don't pull upwards off the dollies, but they absolutely don't. Having them as short as you can allows the motor steerer more control over the butty, but needs nifty work and good timing when picking up the butty from being breasted up - longer straps are more tolerant of lazy steering or adverse conditions of any sort.
About 30 years ago I was innocently pootling towards the east portal of Braunston tunnel when two hippies on a very tired sagging unmotored 70ft motor asked me if I'd tow them though the tunnel and down the locks.
Not knowing any better, I said OK, despite being on a 32ft brumtug with a 3 cylinder vetus mitsubishi.
Breasting up all down the locks was shall we say interesting...the difference in lengths was extreme, the the old motor wasn't light as it was constantly leaking and there were two bilge pumps going all the time.
They were heading for Runcorn, I think.
The motor was so tender that I could see the hull move as I pulled away, and down at Braunston turn, I saw the front quarter of the bow move in as it pushed up against a moored boat.
So good luck!
The French Adventure
in Cruise Diaries & Reports
Posted
Renault 6...I still shudder at the memories.
I'm intrigued that you fill up with water before you start, as we never do, to avoid dragging 150 unnecessary kilos around. We carry 2 5litre bottles for tea etc, then put what we need in the tank when we arrive.